Banknote News

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These notes commemorate the 5th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games, held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan from 17 to 27 September 2017. The front of each note is like the preceding issue, but with the addition of the Ashgabat 2017 logo on the watermark area at left.The back of each note depicts a new architectural building erected in the Turkmen capital in honor of the games. Anti-counterfeiting features have also been enhanced. The games logo is “executed by a special press method,” and the two lowest denominations’ nominal figures are printed in OVI, and on higher denominations printed with SPARK Live. These new notes are legal tender, and circulate in parallel with notes dated 2009, 2012, and 2014.

According to a press release by the Central Bank of Turkmenistan, revised 1-, 50-, and 100-manat notes have been issued with enhanced security features, including microprinting, pearlescent stripes, and—on the two larger denominations—wider windowed security threads and holographic stripes. The notes are dated 2014 and signed by Gochmyrat Myradov.

Like TMB B16 (P23), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Like TMB B18 (P25), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Like TMB B17 (P24), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

Like TMB B15 (P22), but the lower right front around the denomination numeral has been redesigned, the date and signature (Tuvakmammet Japarov) are new, and a pearlescent stripe has been added on back.

According to a post on the web site of the Türkmenistanyñ Merkezi Banky (Central Bank of Turkmenistan), new banknotes have been issued in the denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 20 manat. All of the notes appear to be dated 2012, bearing new signatures, and with a pearlescent stripe on back. The two larger denominations also appear to have SPARK patches on front. There's no information on the fate of the 50- and 100-manat notes. As the largest denominations in Turkmenistan, one would assume they are in line for enhanced security features, too, but perhaps the bank still has sufficient stocks of the notes originally issued in 2009.

There may be a new variety for the 10,000-manat note dated 1999, listed in The Banknote Book as TMB B6 (P13). As you can see from the scans above, there is a crescent moon and five stars in optically variable ink at upper left front. On the earlier issue (based upon the serial number) shown at left, the OVI appears green, but on later issues shown at right, the OVI appears gold. The differences in the color is not a scanning artifact; examining the notes themselves reveals they appear different to the naked eye even when tilted back and forth.

All images I’ve seen of notes with higher serial numbers than the one shown at right also appear to have gold OVI, including the revised 2000 dated note TMB B7 (P14). If anyone else has a green OVI note, please post a comment with your note’s serial number.

The Turkmenistan chapter of The Banknote Book is now available for individual sale at US$9.99, and as a free download to subscribers.

This 11-page catalog covers every note (38 types and varieties, including 5 notes unlisted in the SCWPM) issued by the Türkmenistanyñ Merkezi Döwlet Banky (Central State Bank of Turkmenistan) from 1993 to 1995, and the Türkmenistanyñ Merkezi Banky (Central Bank of Turkmenistan) from 1995 until present day. Revised 12 October 2012.

Each chapter of The Banknote Book includes detailed descriptions and background information, full-color images, and accurate valuations. The Banknote Book also features:

Sharp color images of note’s front and back without overlap

Face value or date of demonetization if no longer legal tender

Specific identification of all vignette elements

Security features described in full

Printer imprint reproduced exactly as on note

Each date/signature variety assigned an individual letter

Variety checkboxes for tracking your collection and want list

Date reproduced exactly as on note

Precise date of introduction noted when known

Replacement note information

Signature tables, often with names and terms of service

Background information for historical and cultural context

Details magnified to distinguish between note varieties

Bibliographic sources listed for further research

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On January 1, 2009, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan issued a new series of notes printed by Thomas De La Rue, which has printed Turkmenistan currency since independence in 1991. The new notes bear images of prominent figures of the Turkmen nation and architectural compositions of Ashgabat. The government revalued its currency in conjunction with the introduction of the new notes. Prior to the revaluation, the official exchange rate was 5,000 manats to the US dollar, with the black market rate almost five times that. The new manat is equal to 50 of the “old” manat.